ABSTRACT
Falls and fall-related injuries are prevalent among older adults. Studies have reported that 30% to 60% of community-dwelling older adults fall each year, and the fall incidence rates for this population range from 0.2 to 1.6 falls per person per year, with a mean of approximately 0.7 falls per year (Rubenstein, Castle, Diener, Hooker, Jones, & Vasquez, 2004). Falls not only have devastating consequences for older adults in terms of morbidity and mortality, but are also associated with high acute and long-term care costs. In 1994, total direct cost of fall injuries among people 65 and older was $20.2 billion (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004). Stevens (2004) also reported that the total cost of all fall injuries for people age 65 or older is expected to reach $43.8 billion by 2020 (in current dollars). However, falls and fall-related injuries are potentially preventable public health problems. A number of studies have found that multifactorial intervention programs can effectively prevent and/or reduce a substantial proportion of falls among older adults (Gillespie et al., 2004; RAND, 2003), thereby improving their independent functioning and enhancing their quality of life.
